Eric Aaronson and the Dubious Reasons

Halflings

It is said people have always lived in the Reyal Valley, since before time was kept. Halfling legends tell that all the peoples of the Reyal Valley had always been and would always be, as long as the waters of the rivers and lakes ran clear. Tales of diminutive riparian nomads navigating the waterways of the Reyal Valley and discovering all manners of wild beasts and fantastic settlements are the backbone of halfling histories, and it may be their pliability and ease at slipping away that keeps their mentions from some of the earliest of elven or human stories. Likewise, halfing oral traditions have no stories of the Reyal Valley that don’t include either elves or humans in their tales, with both the “tall people” and “lithe people” playing roles both major and mundane.

While humans and elves fought over the Reyal Valley, halflings retreated into obscurity, laying low among their communities and playing a generally neutral part in the conflict. In the time since, halflings have enjoyed a considerable freedom not enjoyed by many in the Reyal Valley, being viewed, albeit perhaps with a subtly derogatory note, as essentially tiny humans. Halflings are quite affable at dealing with mankind, and are able to use humans’ diminutive view of them to their advantage as traders, performers, and thieves. It is rare to find a band of adventurers whose party doesn’t include at least one halfling wanderer.